Faced with the threat of legal action over his use of executive power, President Barack Obama pointed his finger squarely back at congressional Republicans on Friday, stating that their historic inaction prompted him to go it alone to address the nation’s problems. “They don’t do anything except block me and call me names,” Obama said in a speech on the economy at Lake Harriet in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Read more.

Judge Won’t Allow Renisha McBride’s Texts In Killer’s Trial

A judge on Friday rejected a request to turn the victim’s text messages into evidence for the defense at the upcoming trial of a Detroit-area man who fatally shot a young unarmed woman on his porch. Attorney Cheryl Carpenter said slang references to marijuana were critical for the defense because they suggest Renisha McBride was selling drugs and may have had an aggressive side. “I don’t want to use this to drag her through the mud. You won’t hear me argue at trial she’s a bad person. … If you strip this from me, you’re going to hamstring the defense,” Carpenter said. Read more.

Americans Are Slaves To Sports And Porn, Says Republican Who Doesn’t Seem To Get Slavery

Americans are slaves to sports and pornography, a Michigan congressman recently said, equating elective entertainment with the horrific American institution that allowed millions of men, women and children to be considered the property of others. U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg (R) made the comments at a conference of pastors last month. In his speech, he referenced Bible passage Nehemiah 9:36, quoting, “Behold, we are slaves today, and as to the land which you gave to our fathers to eat of its fruit and its bounty, behold we are slaves in it.” Read more.

Bono has a playfully antagonistic relationship with his friends at Apple. The tech giant has raised an incredible amount for AIDS research, but, if you ask the U2 frontman, not enough people know about the success. Jony Ive, Apple’s senior vice president of design, who is friends with Bono, apparently needs to speak up on the matter. “One of the reasons it’s such a credit to have Jony Ive on the stage is because Apple is so f*****g annoyingly quiet about the fact they’ve raised $75 million,” the singer said at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in France earlier this week, according to Adweek. Bono noted lightheartedly that while Apple has been a champion in the fight against AIDS, Steve Jobs refused to put the singer’s signature (Red) campaign branding in any Apple stores. “This is the Apple way. They’re like a religious cult.” Read more.